Why, as the years go by, I become more of a NASCAR fan ...

Sorry if there's already something else on this topic on the board, but I needed to vent ...
I went to the Jerry-dome (Cowboys Stadium) today and sat in my allotted seats (I usually let a close friend buy my season tickets because I really want to go only once or twice a year). They're not great seats but they're good enough. Anyway, some young guy (late 20s) four rows in front of us was wearing his Buffalo Bills jersey and all but announced on arrival that he would be executing one of two plans today: A) the Bills would win and he would make everyone within earshot miserable; or B) the Bills would lose and he would make everyone within earshot miserable. And then he proceeded to execute Plan B flawlessly. I've seen fans of a number of teams behave this way, so I am assuming this is reasonably universal to the NFL (and perhaps other team sports).

My circle of friends here get a chuckle at how I enjoy (and follow) NASCAR -- and there might be a bit of amused condescension in there, too -- but at least I never have to deal with crud like that. Maybe it's because there's only one winner and 42 losers in a given race, so you can't get too locked in to having "your" driver win. Or maybe NASCAR fans are, in general, more about enjoying themselves than fans of other sports. I don't know. I do know that I am seriously rethinking the whole NFL season ticket thing.

My last NFL game -- and by last, I mean the last time I ever plan to attend an NFL game in person -- was a Cardinals-Dolphins game in Glendale. Some asshole in a ref's shirt with his face painted in Dolphins colors spent the pregame and the start of the first quarter standing with his back to the field, trying to get people to yell at him. Cards went up 14-0 early in the first quarter and he left. We saw a few fights in the stands and left at halftime.

But NASCAR? My last visit to PIR there were two drunk rednecks in front of me in matching white T-shirts on which they had taken Sharpies and written "Jeff Gordon rides at the front cuz he takes it in the ass!!" And if that isn't bad enough, consider this: It was an IRL race. NASCAR fans can even fuck up non-NASCAR races.

Plus NASCAR is LOUD. I couldn't tell you if the guy in front of me was cheering for Denny, trash talking Kyle, asking if anyone wants a Bud Light or reading from Machiavelli's The Prince.

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So it's got that going for it, which is nice ...

PCLoadLetter said:

But NASCAR? My last visit to PIR there were two drunk rednecks in front of me in matching white T-shirts on which they had taken Sharpies and written "Jeff Gordon rides at the front cuz he takes it in the ass!!" And if that isn't bad enough, consider this: It was an IRL race. NASCAR fans can even fuck up non-NASCAR races.

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Ugh ... I go to both the Texas races and have now begun an annual trek to Talladega. While the after-hours scene at Talladega's definitely NC-17, I have never experienced anything like what you did. If I did, I'd probably write NASCAR off, too.

I don't know, maybe it's the fact that it's the Cowboys. So many people hate the Cowboys, maybe too many of them think it's some sort of honor check-mark if they go into Jerry's house and show the old ass. As I said I go only once or twice a year, but when I do it is a given that some twerp's going to be wearing a visiting team jersey, holding a beer in each hand, and he's going to spend half his time with his back to the field trying to bait someone into responding. And, of course, someone always does.

I went to the Browns game yesterday and encountered zero problems. Well, except for the Browns. One guy at the very top row of my section got hauled off in handcuffs, I believe because he thought it appropriate to light up a joint.

Doc, have you noticed the race crowds getting better the last couple of years? May be an offshoot of the economy (& the relatively smaller crowds), but I've found it to be a much "friendlier" experience the last couple of years. Still plenty of drunks & dorks, but haven't felt uncomfortable at a race in a few years.

As for the NFL, I can't say enough positive things about our experiences at games in Indy. We've split a pair of season tickets (w/ another couple) since they moves into Lucas Oil. Not a single negative experience.